Cristiano Ronaldo’s Sadness : A Powder Keg To Explode At Real Madrid?

Cristiano Ronaldo declared his sadness to the whole world recently and thisstatement generated plenty of laughs and jokes around the world. Yet this proclamation has been due for a long time now and it’s surprising it didn’t come earlier. Real Madrid have plenty of unhappy superstars who may be living the dream by normal standards but have been struggling in the politically charged atmosphere at Real Madrid.

TheHardTackle delves into the murkier aspects of a glamorous life and tries to find out the reasons for Cristiano Ronaldo’s sadness.

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi

To talk of one is to talk of other. One cannot say the name of one without bringing the other into picture. Publicly, Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi may deny that they have no rivalry between them and they play only for their teams. In reality it is bunch of nonsense that nobody buys. Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi don’t shake hands on field, score goals at will to match other blow for blow and want to play every single match.

Make no mistake, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi want to be remembered as the greatest ever and second place is just not good enough. Lionel Messi is of course Barcelona’s darling and is mollycoddled with no boundaries. Whether it is making Fabregas drop deeper, selling Ibra or shunting out David Villa to the left, Barcelona is built around Messi. Every player and coach is supposed to bow to his supposed supremacy and proclamations of how he is the best in the world are repeated every week.

In this context we will try to examine the cause of unhappiness of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Jose Mourinho and Jorge Mendes

Jorge Mendes, the “super agent”, has several of his clients at Real Madrid – Pepe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carvalho, Mourinho and Coentrao. Coincidently, all of them are Portuguese. Every coach likes a particular nationality/type of players to play in their teams. Rafa Benitez filled the team with Spaniards, Wenger likes French and African players, Mancini likes troublemakers and so on. In that respect Mourinho is no different and he too tries to work with players he most identifies with.

However, last season Coentrao arrived for a gigantic sum of €30 million. When he arrived Mourinho said that he was not purchasing such an expensive player to play just in Marcelo’s position. However, his joker in the pack idea failed miserably and Coentrao became exactly that: just an expensive left back.

Apart from this there have been regular reports of friction between the Spanish and Portuguese contingents amid accusations of Mourinho favoring his countrymen. A typical case was a half fit Carvalho chosen over Varane and Albiol and who was then booed and whistled by Bernabeu faithful. We will return to this issue later to examine it in more depth.

Marcelo vs Fabio Coentrao

This is the most interesting turnaround of all. Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo were the best of friends on and off the pitch. This showed in the performances they dished out week after week and had built up a telepathic understanding with each other. However, the arrival of Coentrao soured this friendship. Whenever, there has been an important match against a big team, Coentrao has been the preferred choice ahead of Marcelo.

Coentrao and Marcelo to Cristiano Ronaldo: Come here my sunshine

More gallingly, last season Coentrao started 7 Champions League games and Marcelo started just 5 out of 10 games. In fact in the semi finals only after Coentrao’s blunder had allowed Bayern a lifeline did Marcelo start the second leg.

Undeniably while Marcelo is not the pillar of defensive solidity, Coentrao fares only slightly better and offers a much lesser threat going forward which renders Ronaldo much lesser of a threat.

There is a distinct feeling in the capital side of being ripped off. In fact, in general, the only justification anyone can think of for paying so much is that Mourinho and Mendes orchestrated this move. It does not help that Coentrao has proved to at best an above average left back and a below average wing back.

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Iker Casillas

Another war going on consists of Casillas on one side with Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo on the other. Mourinho has reportedly several times tried to bring another keeper or give the armband to someone else. Casillas no doubt sees this as an attempt by Mourinho to reduce Casillas’s influence in the dressing room.

Add to this the fact that the “Only One” is seen to be favoring the Portuguese over meritocracy seems to riling many and dividing the Real Madrid. Marcelo’s comments of saying that Casillas deserved to win Balon d’or ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo also didn’t go down very well with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Casillas: Uneasy Truce

This is undoubtedly the result of deteriorating relationship between Ronaldo and Marcelo where Marcelo chose not to celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals against Granada with him.

Casillas has been at Real Madrid and his ideas of Madridismo conflict directly with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Mourinho, Mendes, Casillas, Cristiano Ronaldo and Coentrao

In general if Mourinho’s decisions are viewed objectively most of them pass the scrutiny with flying colours. Marcelo has undoubtedly become a better player under him. So have Benzema and Ozil. Ramos too has flourished as center back. Pepe has been a monster at the heart of defense in the nicest possible terms. The fact that Real Madrid has never won against Barcelona is testament to the importance of Portuguese in the line-up.

Every coach has his trusted lieutenants and Carvalho was one of Mourinho’s. Mourinho did start a half fit Carvalho but to his credit hauled him off at half time and has made him surplus to requirements this time around. The only stumbling block is Coentrao. It is not Coentrao’s fault that crazy money was paid for him and the tactical variations did not suit him either. It is time that the above 5 sat down and tried to come to an agreement of sorts.

In fact the only problem with Coentrao is his price tag. While he is not the world beater in the mould of other players in Real Madrid, he is not a bad player either.

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi

Life comes a full circle and so does this story. There is no denying that Balon D’or and FIFA player of the year are as much as popularity contests as much as a reflection of merit. While last to last year Messi was ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, the penultimate season no doubt belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored all important goals, dragged Portugal to the semis in Euro Cup and won a more important trophy than Messi. He even managed to overshadow Messi in the last 5 clasicos scoring each time.

In short, Cristiano Ronaldo did everything the world’s best player should do.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo does not seem to have the universal support of Madridistas. Some favour awarding Casillas the award ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo. While Casillas was undoubtedly great in Euros, even Iniesta was better than him in that competition. To award Casillas ahead of Cristaino Ronaldo seems ridiculous or even malicious.

Hating Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is one person everyone loves to hate. As a Madridista, he has a long way to go before can be considered in the same league as “San” Iker. Having said that, Cristiano Ronaldo does deserve the unequivocal support of Madridistas all around world including his teammates not just for what he did last season in all competitions but also in the Euros.

It will be childish to deny that Cristiano Ronaldo was the best last year. Yes, he is cocky, almost arrogant, lives a flashy lifestyle and everything else. However, this award is not for Cristiano Ronaldo, the person. This award is for Cristiano Ronaldo, the player.

Real Madrid has always had a politically charged atmosphere. This is not going to change anytime soon. But for the greater good of the Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo and even the game of football it is time that Los Blancos unite.

Every player wants to win trophies and Cristiano Ronaldo is no different from Fabregas, Aguero or Modric. So why should he be singled out for criticism for his ambition when others are lauded?

It will be a shame if anyone other than Ronaldo wins the best player award this year. Only the Barcelona fundamentalists will argue that Messi had a better year than Cristiano Ronaldo. Supercopa, Copa Del and Club World are always the icing on the cake and not the cake itself.

It is time that Real Madrid lobbies hard for this award as they need their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo more than any other time. Not just for Cristiano Ronaldo but also to ensure that a divided house unites once again.

Prakhar avidly follows the La Liga and writes primarily about Real Madrid. Spain, Brazil and Manchester United are some of other his favored teams.

He's is a MBA student at NITIE, Mumbai, a football junkie and a study in paradoxes. Though he appreciates the tactical battles in football, at the heart he is a romantic who identifies more with Sid Lowe's style of writing than Micheal Cox of zonalmarking.

Gud article and certainly agree with you on d points you’ve made. Ronaldo is lacking the support of the management and his co-players unlike messi. I think the problem with his off-field antics and arrogant attitude in general is certainly affecting his chances. I’ve followed madrid and barca’s each and every match last season and like u’ve mentioned definitely thinks Ronaldo was the best – so many important goals and most of them at places where barca struggled (messi too failed to score at most of those places) – atletico away, osasuna away, valencia and betis away, vallecano away – just so many).

One stat that i haven’t heard anyone point to is the fact that Ronaldo scored against every opponent he played against – in La Liga and Champions League – First time that has been done in the history of the game – wow!!! Messi didn’t and missed atleast a dozen sitters against chelsea!!!

van’Leyland

This is the best article I have read so far. It’s a comprehensive, simply and analytically expressed. This must have been compiled by a core and unbiased football fan. BBM 26039DDB

Adeshine

you must for sure be CR7’s fan no doubt about dat

Comfi

Keep dreaming you Madristas, Ronaldo will not win the Ballon D’or. The majority of the world agree that Messi, is the best player. He Broke all kinds of records last season. You tell me any player that has scored 73 goals in one season. Messi is the best ever.

varun

Comfi, please understand that total goals doesn’t mean anything. There are advanced stats that prove ronaldo had a far better year. yes agree messi scored 73 goals, but that is only because barca play a system that is fully suited to his game, with he being the end product of all attacks they make and they don’t even have a 2nd striker option – villa was injured. pedro and adriano are wingers. Check the stat for shots on goal for the last season and the guy in second would be lightyears behind messi. Ronaldo on the other hand plays as a winger for madrid and he has to share the burden with higuain or benzema.

Ronaldo was more clinical last season than messi – only arrogant messi fans like u don’t understand this. Ronaldo scored so many big game goals like i mentioned in an earlier post – if you want to realise that go to youtube and search ronaldo goals in matches with osasuna, atletico, valencia, betis, vallecano, holland, czech and so many more… AND Even against your Barca. Lol, the guy scored against all the opponents he came across – in la liga and UCL and that has never been done before in the history of the game.

Now if u still want to hold onto your 73 goal stat – here is my reply to that – ronaldo scored 60 goals playing 5 matches less – and that would mean based on his scoring average he would have scored around 67-68 goals – so the difference is only 6 goals dude…!!

Any idiot knows that La Liga was decided on the final el classico at nou camp. Check the number of goals that messi scored after el classico compared to ronaldo – once the title was decided and taken back by madrid, messi scored a bunch of goals and pulled away from ronaldo. Only someone who hasn’t followed the league can post a comment like what you’ve mentioned.

Kat

Please name the “all kinds of records”

Boby gobirawa

If c.ronaldo leave madrid we go 2gether

Rick

I agree – he goes i go

Katherine Snooki McEachen

Excellent article. I’m thinking the same people who think Ronaldo is being a baby are the same people who think Kurt Cobain killed himself bc he had too much money.

sbsmcnab

Now if u still want to hold onto your 73 goal stat – here is my reply to that – ronaldo scored 60 goals playing 5 matches less – and that would mean based on his scoring average he would have scored around 67-68 goals – so the difference is only 6 goals dude…!!

——–

Next time, check your facts before you comment, mate! In total, Ronaldo played 5812 minutes compared to Messi’s 6034, so there’s a 2.5 match difference between them. Yet Ronaldo got 66 goals and 19 assists, which is nothing compared to Messi’s 82 goals and a whopping 39 assists. These data include all the matches, both club and international.

If you look into La Liga only, it was Ronaldo who spent more time on the pitch (83 minutes more, exactly), yet he scored 4 goals and had 7 assists fewer than Messi.

So the difference is a lot bigger than you wrote, especially if you look at the assists stats.

Comfi

Yaa, you can talk about all those STATs for Ronaldo but I am still not convinced that he is the best player let alone win the Ballon D’or this year. People dont just look at Stats alone. They also look at character. Messi is the best for me both as a footballer and as a person. If I had kids, i would want Messi to be their role model not Ronaldo. The guy moans and plays cry baby for no reason. He dives in matches to try and get penalties and free kicks. The guy has a bad attitude and I wouldnt want my kids to watch that. And the whole, I am sad fuss that he has just pulled the last few days, whats that about. If Ronaldo had any chance for this year’s ballon d’or, then he has just thrown a spanner into that chance and for me its gone. People dont like footballers with a bad attitude. Has anybody not told him that, if he has any issues, deal with them under closed doors. Ok if he chose to go public, then dont leave people to speculate and guess, explain to your fans why you are not happy. All this fuss he has caused will only come back to bite him. I hope he has leant his lessons. How about the attitude he displayed when Iniesta won the best player in Europe. Where was the sportsmanship, what was all that frowning in the face about. Shame on Ronaldo. All that kind of attitude will not get him anyway. It only saves to prove his ego and selfishness.

varun

Comfi, agree with few of your statements. Even i don’t quite like ronaldo’s antics sometimes. He can be really frustrating to love even for a fan -BUT, there are few things you need to understand here :

1) Ballon D’or is given to the best player over a season by FIFA. Its not based on their past history of arrogance, ego and bad mouths, rather based on their performances on the pitch only. It’s ronaldo’s to lose but like you’ve said his arrogance could lose him this award.

2) Before we blame him one needs to understand that the guy reached watever he is now based on his pure hardwork. Anyone who has worked with ronaldo says that the guy works harder than anyone on the pitch – He came from a island part of portugal that doesn’t develop much footballers – he was born into a poor family and his father was a drunkard and passed away doing that and thus he doesn’t drink – its purely based on his work ethic that he brought up his family – Yes, his present day attitude can’t be forgiven based on his past, but still you need to give him credit for what he has acheived – Lo, the guy scored 30+ goals purely as a winger in the toughest league in the world – Barclays premier League.

3) I too wouldn’t want my idolise ronaldo based on his off-the field antics, but i wouldn’t mind if my child idolises him for the effort he puts in.

4) I see people still calling out ronaldo as a diver and moaner on the pitch – and this really isn’t true. If you have seen him the last two years you wouldn’t have said that. Anyone who has followed ronaldo’s career knows that this was early on in his career and Ferguson really played a hand in changing ronaldos’ on-the pitch antics. He rarely now talks to an opponent on the pitch and just tries to move on with his game all the time – Now don’t say Messi has never moaned on the pitch – There are countless times even he too has jumped onto an opponent or the referee – last year alone he was carded a few times for just this reason – recall seeing him do just that in the last el classico – he wanted referee to card albiol and trying to force it. Now this is the disgrace that we need to associate with all the modern day footballers -and that includes messi.

5) Lastly, ronaldo’s statement on his sadness certainly annoyed me initially. But, he truly hasn’t stated the reason for his annoyance and since he said its not based on money i think its based on his relationship with marcelo and the spainards in the team and probably he would want to become captain of Real. Anyways, like i said earlier his arrogance can cost him the Ballon D’or but based on his on-the-field performance there is only one winner.

Sheldon Cooper

Ronaldo has never dived to win penalties after coming to Real Madrid and certainly not in the last 2 years. The same cannot be said of the players like Mascherano, Sanchez, and fabregas.
The award is for the player and not the person. And even as person Messi is no better. He kicked ball in the faces of Real Madrid fans, scored a goal with his hand and has ruined the career of Villa and Fabregas.
Ever heard of Muhammad Ali? He was also quite cocky. If Ronaldo hates losing, then he shows it.
But then the fault is not yours. People all around the world prefer false modesty and sportsmanship than actual feelings……

varun

Quite foolish on your part to base their performance on the minutes spend on the pitch – Lol this isn’t the NBA to calculate PER’s… If you get time read what i said earlier fully then you will understand. It’s not like if these guys will be on the pitch they will surely get a lot more chances. If that is the case, you could look at the total shots on goal and ronaldo would have way more than messi – but before jumping into that you need to understand that ronaldo takes way more shots from 25-35 yards out – atleast 2-3 times a match he tries to test the keeper from that distance (messi doesn’t do that) and also tries free-kick’s from all around the pitch (messi doesn’t do that also). Messi however gets way more chances inside the box than ronaldo.

Lol, the fact is i’ve seen the whole la liga and UCL matches of both barca and real and from whatever i’ve seen there is no second choice to ds yr’s ballon d’or – its ronaldo’s to lose.

I don’t hold any grudges against messi and agrees with watever u guys say on his capability and impact – but from wat i’ve seen d past year from ronaldo, i think he deserves it – simply because he rescued madrid from the jaws of defeat a million times and put some clinical performances against top opposition – like d one against atletico and valencia and even his performance against holland.

Pavneet Gill

Like the imagination of the author!!!

John smith

Why did he wait to take the last penalty kick against Spain if he is so great and confident? Great players always take the lead and do not fear failures or mistakes. He is a coward eho wanted all the glory and adulation. Why is he so affected by chants of messi! Messi! Just go out there and let his feet do all the talking and the world will be the judge. So far the people has spoken and the winner is still messi!